THORVALDSEN BERTEL: (1770-1844) Danish Sculptor. A Medalist of international fame who spent a large part of his life in Italy. Among his more famous public monuments are the statues of Copernicus and Poniatowski in Warsaw, the one of Maximilian I in Munich or the tomb monument of Pope Pius VII which is the only work by a non-Catholic in St. Peter´s Basilica in Rome. Rare A.L.S., Alberto Thorvaldsen, one page, 4to, Rome, 13th June 1830, in Italian. Thorvaldsen states `Avendo veduto io sotto nello studio dei Signori Jollage ed Hopfgarten scultori in metallo qui in Roma i lavori fatti dal Sig[nor] Bartolomeo Conterio, ed avendo ancora conosciuti alcuni conii incise dal med[essimo] non ho potuto a meno di lodare l´esattezza, e l´abilita con cui erano fatti, ond´e che non dubito di attestare che il medessimo , atteso l´amore che porta allo studio, ed al lavoro, possa riuscire un bravo artista, e far onore a chi potesse incoragiarlo nell´arte sua.´ (''Having seen in the study of Messrs Jollage and Hopfgarten, metal sculptors here in Rome, the works done by Mr. Bartolomeo Conterio, and having also known some medals engraved by them, I could not help but praise the accuracy, and the skill with which they were made, so that I have no doubt to attest that the same, given the love that leads these works, can be a good artist, and honour those who could encourage him in his art´ Paper with watermark. With blank integral leaf. Small overall age wear and staining, otherwise G Wilhelm Hopfgarten (1789-1860) and Benjamin Ludwig Jollage (1781-1837) were German Sculptors who started a bronze foundry and a sculpture studio in Rome in 1805. They got important commissions casting bronzes for renowned artists working in Rome, such as Bertel Thorvaldsen or Antonio Canova. The Miguel de Cervantes bronze statue at the central Square of Las Cortes in Madrid was designed by Antonio Sola and cast in Rome by Hopfgarten and Jollage. Bartolomeo Conterio (1802-1840) Italian Sculptor.